Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and Speech Disabilities, 21347-21348 [E8-8564]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 77 / Monday, April 21, 2008 / Notices Fourth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 69 FR 34950, June 23, 2004 (19 FCC Rcd 9973 (2004)), the Commission stated that FCC Forms 395–A and 395–B conformed to the racial and employment categories contained in the then-existing Form EEO–1 Employer Information Report issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (‘‘EEOC’’). It noted that the EEOC had proposed to revise its EEO–1 form to incorporate new racial and employment categories adopted by the Office of Management and Budget (‘‘OMB’’), and that, when the revised EEO–1 form was released, the Commission would review its forms to see what changes were needed to comply with the new OMB standards, and whether it could so conform those forms to those standards consistent with Sections 334 and 634 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the ‘‘Act’’). With the EEOC’s release of the revised EEO–1 form incorporating revised racial and employment categories, the Media Bureau has conducted that review, and hereby seeks public comment on whether it should so incorporate the EEOC revised standards and whether such changes are consistent with Sections 334 and 634 of the Act. The revised EEO–1 form, which specifies these categories at Section D, and the Instruction Booklet to the form, which contains the definition of each such category, are attached to the Commission’s Public Notice, which can be accessed at https://www.fcc.gov/mb/ policy/eeo. FCC Notice Required by the Paperwork Reduction Act rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES FCC Form 395–A and FCC Form 395– B are approved under OMB control numbers 3060–0095 and 3060–0390, respectively. Remember—you are not required to respond to a collection of information sponsored by the Federal government, and the government may not conduct or sponsor this collection, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number or if we fail to provide you with this notice. THE FOREGOING NOTICE IS REQUIRED BY THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995, PUBLIC LAW 104–13, OCTOBER 1, 1995, 44 U.S.C. SECTION 3507. Federal Communications Commission. Steven A. Broeckaert, Deputy Division Chief, Media Bureau. [FR Doc. E8–8458 Filed 4–18–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712–01–P VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:59 Apr 18, 2008 FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [Report No. 2862] [Report No. 2861] Petitions for Reconsideration of Action in Rulemaking Proceeding April 11, 2008. Petitions for Reconsideration have been filed in the Commission’s Rulemaking proceeding listed in this Public Notice and published pursuant to 47 CFR Section 1.429(e). The full text of these documents is available for viewing and copying in Room CY–B402, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC or may be purchased from the Commission’s copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI) (1–800– 378–3160). Oppositions to these petitions must be filed by May 6, 2008. See Section 1.4(b)(1) of the Commission’s rules (47 CFR 1.4(b)(1)). Replies to oppositions must be filed within 10 days after the time for filing oppositions have expired. Subject: In the Matter of 2006 Quadrennial Regulatory Review— Review of the Commission’s Broadcast Ownership Rules and Other Rules Adopted Pursuant to Section 202 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (MB Docket No. 06–121). Number of Petitions Filed: 1. Subject: In the Matter of The Commission’s Cable Horizontal and Vertical Ownership Limits (MM Docket No. 92–264). Implementation of Section 11 of the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992 (CS Docket No. 98–82). Implementation of Cable Act Reform Provision of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (CS Docket No. 96–85). Review of the Commission’s Regulations Governing Attribution of Broadcast and Cable/MDS Interests (MM Docket No. 94–150). Review of the Commission’s Regulation and Policies Affecting Investments in the Broadcast Industry (MM Docket No. 92–51). Reexamination of the Commission’s Cross-Interest Policy (MM Docket No. 87–154). Number of Petitions Filed: 1. Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary. [FR Doc. E8–8488 Filed 4–18–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712–01–P Jkt 214001 21347 PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Petitions for Reconsideration of Action in Rulemaking Proceeding April 11, 2008. Petitions for Reconsideration have been filed in the Commission’s Rulemaking proceeding listed in this Public Notice and published pursuant to 47 CFR Section 1.429(e). The full text of these documents is available for viewing and copying in Room CY–B402, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC or may be purchased from the Commission’s copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI) (1–800– 378–3160). Oppositions to these petitions must be filed by May 6, 2008. See Section 1.4(b)(1) of the Commission’s rules (47 CFR 1.4(b)(1)). Replies to oppositions must be filed within 10 days after the time for filing oppositions have expired. Subject: In the Matter of DTV Consumer Education Initiative (MB Docket No. 07–148). Number of Petitions Filed: 2. Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary. [FR Doc. E8–8503 Filed 4–18–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712–01–P FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [CG Docket No. 03–123; DA 08–303] Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and Speech Disabilities Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Notice; modification of Intrastate TRS Fund size. AGENCY: SUMMARY: In this document, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau) adopts a revised Interstate Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Fund size and carrier contribution factor for the July 2007 to June 2008 Fund year. This action is necessary because given continued significant growth in VRS minutes, together with the revised compensation rates, the present Fund size may be inadequate to compensate providers for the remainder of the present 2007–2008 Fund year. DATES: Effective February 6, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Chandler, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability E:\FR\FM\21APN1.SGM 21APN1 21348 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 77 / Monday, April 21, 2008 / Notices Rights Office at (202) 418–1475 (voice), (202) 418–0597 (TTY), or e-mail at Thomas.Chandler@fcc.gov. This is a summary of the Bureau’s Order, document DA 08–303 (Order), adopted and released February 6, 2008, adopting a revised TRS Fund size and carrier contribution factor for the July 2007 to June 2008 Fund year. The full text of document DA 08–303 will be available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY–A257, Washington, DC 20554. Document DA 08–303 also may be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor at Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY–B402, Washington, DC 20554. Customers may contact the Commission’s duplicating contractor at its Web site https:// www.bcpiweb.com or by calling 1–800– 378–3160. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418–0530 (voice), (202) 418–0432 (TTY). Document DA 08–303 also can be downloaded in Word or Portable Document Format (PDF) at: https://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/ trs.html#orders. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES Synopsis 1. On June 29, 2007, the Bureau released Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, CG Docket No. 03–123, Order, 22 FCC Rcd 11706 (CGB 2007) (2007 Bureau TRS Rate Order), which adopted for the 2007–2008 Fund year, compensation rates for the various forms of TRS, a Fund size of $553,378,363.18, and a carrier contribution factor of 0.0072. Subsequently, on November 19, 2007, the Commission released Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, CG Docket No. 03–123, Report and Order and Declaratory Ruling, 22 FCC Rcd 20140 (2007) (2007 TRS Rate Methodology Order), published at 73 FR 3197, January 17, 2008, which, inter alia, adopted revised compensation rates. 2. On November 30, 2007, the Fund administrator (the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA)) filed with the Commission a revised Fund size and carrier contribution factor for the 2007– 2008 Fund year. NECA proposed VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:59 Apr 18, 2008 Jkt 214001 increasing the Fund size approximately $83 million (to $636,736,491.75), and increasing the carrier contribution factor from 0.0072 to 0.00819. NECA explained that increasing the Fund size is necessary because demand for certain interstate relay services, particularly Video Relay Service (VRS), has outpaced its initial projections, and the revised compensation rates are generally higher than those adopted at the beginning of the Fund year in the 2007 Bureau TRS Rate Order. NECA asserted that, as a result, increasing the Fund size is necessary to ensure that it does not run out of money before the end of the Fund year. 3. In addition, as a result of the increase in the Fund size, as well as the Commission’s recent order requiring interconnected VoIP service providers to contribute to the Fund, NECA noted that it also must revise the carrier contribution factor. The carrier contribution factor is calculated by dividing the Fund size by total interstate common carrier end-user revenues. The revised Fund size is $636,736,491.75, and NECA proposed using a revised revenue base of $77.7 billion. As a result, the proposed revised carrier contribution factor is 0.00819. 4. The Bureau agrees that because of the continued significant growth in VRS minutes, together with the revised compensation rates, the present Fund size may be inadequate to compensate providers for the remainder of the present 2007–2008 Fund year. Therefore, the Bureau finds it necessary to increase the Fund size and adjust the carrier contribution factor for the July 2007 through June 2008 funding period. Because the TRS regulations provide that the carrier contribution factor shall be determined annually, the Bureau applies the established standards for waiver of Commission rules. 5. Generally, the Commission’s rules may be waived for good cause shown. The Commission may exercise its discretion to waive a rule where the particular facts make strict compliance inconsistent with the public interest. In addition, the Commission may take into account considerations of hardship, equity, or more effective implementation of overall policy on an individual basis. Waiver of the Commission’s rules is therefore appropriate only if special circumstances warrant a deviation from the general rule, and such a deviation will serve the public interest. 6. Applying this standard, the Bureau concludes that good cause exists to waive the Commission’s rules to the extent they require that the carrier contribution factor be determined on an PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 annual basis. The increase in demand usage in TRS was not anticipated, and the Commission must ensure that the Interstate TRS Fund has adequate funds to compensate eligible TRS providers for the provision of eligible TRS services and ensure the continued availability of relay services to persons with hearing and speech disabilities. Therefore, as a result of the significant growth of demand usage in TRS, as well as the new compensation rates, the Bureau adjusts the annual carrier contribution factor for the July 2007 through June 2008 funding period from 0.0072 to 0.00819 in order to collect the additional monies needed over the remaining months of the fund year. The revised Fund size shall be $636,736,491.75. Ordering Clauses Pursuant to the authority contained in section 225 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 225, and sections 0.141, 0.361 and 1.3 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR 0.141, 0.361 and 1.3, document DA 08–303 is adopted. The Interstate TRS Fund size for the July 2007 through June 2008 funding period will increase from $553,378,363.18 to $636,736,491.75 and, as a result, the annual contribution factor shall be modified from 0.0072 to 0.00819. Document DA 08–303 became effective on February 6, 2008. Federal Communications Commission. Nicole McGinnis, Deputy Chief, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. [FR Doc. E8–8564 Filed 4–18–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712–01–P FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies The companies listed in this notice have applied to the Board for approval, pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.) (BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225), and all other applicable statutes and regulations to become a bank holding company and/or to acquire the assets or the ownership of, control of, or the power to vote shares of a bank or bank holding company and all of the banks and nonbanking companies owned by the bank holding company, including the companies listed below. The applications listed below, as well as other related filings required by the Board, are available for immediate inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank E:\FR\FM\21APN1.SGM 21APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 77 (Monday, April 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21347-21348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8564]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CG Docket No. 03-123; DA 08-303]


Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services 
for Individuals With Hearing and Speech Disabilities

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice; modification of Intrastate TRS Fund size.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In this document, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau 
(Bureau) adopts a revised Interstate Telecommunications Relay Services 
(TRS) Fund size and carrier contribution factor for the July 2007 to 
June 2008 Fund year. This action is necessary because given continued 
significant growth in VRS minutes, together with the revised 
compensation rates, the present Fund size may be inadequate to 
compensate providers for the remainder of the present 2007-2008 Fund 
year.

DATES: Effective February 6, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Chandler, Consumer and 
Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability

[[Page 21348]]

Rights Office at (202) 418-1475 (voice), (202) 418-0597 (TTY), or e-
mail at Thomas.Chandler@fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Bureau's Order, 
document DA 08-303 (Order), adopted and released February 6, 2008, 
adopting a revised TRS Fund size and carrier contribution factor for 
the July 2007 to June 2008 Fund year. The full text of document DA 08-
303 will be available for public inspection and copying during regular 
business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 
12th Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. Document DA 08-
303 also may be purchased from the Commission's duplicating contractor 
at Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 
20554. Customers may contact the Commission's duplicating contractor at 
its Web site https://www.bcpiweb.com or by calling 1-800-378-3160. To 
request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities 
(Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail 
to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau 
at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY). Document DA 08-303 
also can be downloaded in Word or Portable Document Format (PDF) at: 
https://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trs.html#orders.

Synopsis

    1. On June 29, 2007, the Bureau released Telecommunications Relay 
Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and 
Speech Disabilities, CG Docket No. 03-123, Order, 22 FCC Rcd 11706 (CGB 
2007) (2007 Bureau TRS Rate Order), which adopted for the 2007-2008 
Fund year, compensation rates for the various forms of TRS, a Fund size 
of $553,378,363.18, and a carrier contribution factor of 0.0072. 
Subsequently, on November 19, 2007, the Commission released 
Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for 
Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, CG Docket No. 03-123, 
Report and Order and Declaratory Ruling, 22 FCC Rcd 20140 (2007) (2007 
TRS Rate Methodology Order), published at 73 FR 3197, January 17, 2008, 
which, inter alia, adopted revised compensation rates.
    2. On November 30, 2007, the Fund administrator (the National 
Exchange Carrier Association (NECA)) filed with the Commission a 
revised Fund size and carrier contribution factor for the 2007-2008 
Fund year. NECA proposed increasing the Fund size approximately $83 
million (to $636,736,491.75), and increasing the carrier contribution 
factor from 0.0072 to 0.00819. NECA explained that increasing the Fund 
size is necessary because demand for certain interstate relay services, 
particularly Video Relay Service (VRS), has outpaced its initial 
projections, and the revised compensation rates are generally higher 
than those adopted at the beginning of the Fund year in the 2007 Bureau 
TRS Rate Order. NECA asserted that, as a result, increasing the Fund 
size is necessary to ensure that it does not run out of money before 
the end of the Fund year.
    3. In addition, as a result of the increase in the Fund size, as 
well as the Commission's recent order requiring interconnected VoIP 
service providers to contribute to the Fund, NECA noted that it also 
must revise the carrier contribution factor. The carrier contribution 
factor is calculated by dividing the Fund size by total interstate 
common carrier end-user revenues. The revised Fund size is 
$636,736,491.75, and NECA proposed using a revised revenue base of 
$77.7 billion. As a result, the proposed revised carrier contribution 
factor is 0.00819.
    4. The Bureau agrees that because of the continued significant 
growth in VRS minutes, together with the revised compensation rates, 
the present Fund size may be inadequate to compensate providers for the 
remainder of the present 2007-2008 Fund year. Therefore, the Bureau 
finds it necessary to increase the Fund size and adjust the carrier 
contribution factor for the July 2007 through June 2008 funding period. 
Because the TRS regulations provide that the carrier contribution 
factor shall be determined annually, the Bureau applies the established 
standards for waiver of Commission rules.
    5. Generally, the Commission's rules may be waived for good cause 
shown. The Commission may exercise its discretion to waive a rule where 
the particular facts make strict compliance inconsistent with the 
public interest. In addition, the Commission may take into account 
considerations of hardship, equity, or more effective implementation of 
overall policy on an individual basis. Waiver of the Commission's rules 
is therefore appropriate only if special circumstances warrant a 
deviation from the general rule, and such a deviation will serve the 
public interest.
    6. Applying this standard, the Bureau concludes that good cause 
exists to waive the Commission's rules to the extent they require that 
the carrier contribution factor be determined on an annual basis. The 
increase in demand usage in TRS was not anticipated, and the Commission 
must ensure that the Interstate TRS Fund has adequate funds to 
compensate eligible TRS providers for the provision of eligible TRS 
services and ensure the continued availability of relay services to 
persons with hearing and speech disabilities. Therefore, as a result of 
the significant growth of demand usage in TRS, as well as the new 
compensation rates, the Bureau adjusts the annual carrier contribution 
factor for the July 2007 through June 2008 funding period from 0.0072 
to 0.00819 in order to collect the additional monies needed over the 
remaining months of the fund year. The revised Fund size shall be 
$636,736,491.75.

Ordering Clauses

    Pursuant to the authority contained in section 225 of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 225, and sections 
0.141, 0.361 and 1.3 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 0.141, 0.361 and 
1.3, document DA 08-303 is adopted.
    The Interstate TRS Fund size for the July 2007 through June 2008 
funding period will increase from $553,378,363.18 to $636,736,491.75 
and, as a result, the annual contribution factor shall be modified from 
0.0072 to 0.00819.
    Document DA 08-303 became effective on February 6, 2008.

Federal Communications Commission.
Nicole McGinnis,
Deputy Chief, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau.
 [FR Doc. E8-8564 Filed 4-18-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.